It takes a huge amount of physical and mental strength to hike even just a portion of Pacific Crest Trail, let alone the entirety of it. Amanda Morten and her husband Larry are planning on doing just that – tackling 2,650 miles from the border of Mexico to Canada, with their 16 year old daughter Heaven-Lee meeting them at South Tahoe Lake.

Morten said that as an active family who spends time in the outdoors, they have always loved to hit the trails. But this time, they are strapping on their boots for a cause close to their hearts.

The six month journey through climates ranging from desert heat to wind and snow is to help raise awareness and funds towards teen mental health. It was four years ago that a close friend of the Mortens named Kari Smith lost her 17 year old son Cody to suicide.

Living in Barrie, the teen had limited access to resources and was put on a waiting list to see someone. Sadly, help didn’t come soon enough for Cody. His mother established ‘Cody’s House’ in his name to help heal struggling teenagers and raise awareness in their community – anyone can seek help no matter what their circumstances.

Morten and her family are raising money towards purchasing a physical space for Cody’s House, where teens can go to seek immediate help. In Barrie, this can cost upwards of $200,000.

Morten started a Go Fund Me page, with every penny raised going towards Cody’s House. Local residents and businesses have made donations to the cause, including Larry’s employer, Mac-Weld.

Smith said when it comes to youth mental health, there isn’t enough conversation or awareness – seeing Amanda, Larry and Heaven-Lee take on a challenge like this was astonishing and something she will be forever grateful for.

“I am overwhelmed and excited that Amanda and her family are taking this incredible journey,” she said. “It is so heartwarming to see people support us and our quest to help other youth…our family’s journey through our grief has been long and difficult, one I do not want other families to endure.”

The planned space will offer a refuge and a range of services, including the teaching of healing techniques through yoga, music, cooking classes and meditation.

They also will be helping young people delve into what triggers their anxiety and depression, and how to manage and recognize exactly what they need.

“That’s when we decided to hike the PCT,” Morten said. “It made sense because they say it’s very secluded…mentally it made sense. We’re going to go through a lot…I wanted it to be hard.”

Heaven-Lee will be celebrating her 16th birthday on April 19 – the day her parents depart. The St. Patrick’s High School student said she’s excited to join her parents in June once she finishes exams, a decision she made of her own volition.

The teen got a part time job last summer working at a local grocery store, saving her hard-earned money for a plane ticket to California. Morten said they are 100 per cent funding their own hike, and they’ve had to make sacrifices along the way.

“It’s very expensive to do this,” her mother said. “We know how serious she is about it…she’s never changed her mind.”

Heaven-Lee said preparation has been fun but also challenging at times. She said it’s a lot of work to prepare and dehydrate meals, purchase necessary equipment and ensure they are mentally prepared for the trip.

“I think it will be awesome…I’ve gone hiking with them a couple of times in New York at Adirondack Mountains and I really like doing it, and it’s for a great cause,” she said. “I really wanted to be a part of the fundraising.”

The teen said she hopes more people will be enlightened on the cause and why having a space like Cody’s House is a vital lifeline for youth.

“It’s really important…at any point teenagers can go anytime they need someone to talk to,” she said. “A couple of my close friends have committed suicide in the past couple of years, and it’s really heartbreaking that that can happen.”

The family has been living frugally in preparation for the trip for the past year – renting out the main floor of their home, downsizing and selling their belongings to make it possible. They have been given a leave of absence by their employers, something they are both grateful for. The journey also means missing milestone at home, including weddings and seeing their son Skyler Gregory head off to college.

“I’m hoping the sacrifices we’ve made will open people’s eyes,” Morten said.

In the months leading up to their journey, they have been training, doing cardio and hiking with their heavy backpacks in tow. They’ve discussed as a family whether they want to be pushed on those days they may feel defeated, and when they should take breaks.

“We’ve set guidelines as a family,” Morten said. “Being out there, it really plays mental games on you.”